it's like you never had wings
by lightninglightstheway
Summary: Sometimes we falter. And sometimes we fall. What's important is that there's someone to catch us. A series of moments between two people who will always be there for each other.
1. Chapter 1

He flips the switch.

A month goes by.

Caroline's the one who finds him

(in a dark alley with a girl's legs wrapped around his hips  
>her face stuck in an expression of ecstasy)<p>

She doesn't realize what's going on until she hears a sharp whimper. Her cheeks redden.

Sex.

She's done it. She's seen it. She's talked about it.

But for some reason, seeing him like that stands all the hairs on her body at end.

The dark chuckle that leaves his mouth startles her but it's the way he cocks his head that scares her.

She knows what that means. Seen him do it many times.

Even though she knows what's about to happen, her feet stay glued to the ground.

The girl screams and it's high and it's panicked and Caroline can see her pushing at his arms to no avail.

(she's dead in less than a minute)

He keeps her up against the wall, licking at her neck.

When he's done, he let's her fall. Her head cracks against the wall on the way down. She's splayed like a broken doll, eyes open, frozen in fright.

"Enjoy the show, Care?"

She hears the smirk before she sees it appear on his face.

His hands are busy fixing his belt.  
>(there's no remorse in his eyes)<p>

"Why did you...?"

The words get stuck in her throat so she tries again.

"Stefan. Why did you..."

She blinks and suddenly he's right in front of her, eyes raking over her body. The heat they leave behind sends a shiver down her spine. It's almost like he's checking to see if she's alright. Looking for a sign that any harm has come to her.

It's a foolish thought but she can't help the whisper of hope that flitters through her mind.

Maybe.

But then she flicks her eyes over to the girl behind him, tossed away so carelessly. Her purpose served.

Maybe not.

He turns and then looks back at her. She's shocked to see the affection in his gaze.

He brushes a palm across her cheek, making her jump.

"She was just a human, Care."

She sees red. Bats his hand away and scowls.

"That used to mean something to you, Stefan."

The shrug of his shoulders angers her, makes the blood whir in her ears.

She presses him to the wall, her hand around his neck.

"What happened to you?"

The growl he releases is low and threatening.

"Caroline, let go of me."

Her eyes narrow and her nostrils flare but she doesn't let go. Her grip tightens.

"Caroline."

She shakes her head and whispers, "No."

"Fine."

Stefan turns them and pries her hand from his neck. He holds on to it, lacing their fingers together and pressing her to the wall.

"Don't do that. Don't ever do that again."

He looks down the alleyway to the girl he left.

"She's only human. She's food. It's all they are, Caroline. Food and fun."

"You don't believe that, Stefan. You don't. This isn't you."

He turns back to her. His eyes softening, guard dropping."

"It's what I have to believe, Care. It is what it is."

"Stefan, I..."

He rest his head on her shoulder, nuzzling close to her neck. It quiets her. "Just give me a minute," he says while clutching her close. She feels like he's steadying himself, like somehow her words shifted his world for a second.

"I don't...this is how it's supposed to be. This is the only way. I can't. I can't live without..."

Caroline rubs soothing circles on his back. "Yes, you can. You've just go to..."

"No!" It's a roar almost as forceful as the way he wrenches from her arms.

His breathing is harsh and laboured. Pupils dilated, veins rising to the surface just beneath his eyes. And he's shaking.

"I can't."

"Stefan."

He shakes his head. Fists clenched by his side.

She takes a step towards him tentatively.

"Stefan, please."

"No!"

He doesn't move, just looks at her as she walks to him. When her arms come up around him she feels the tension start to seep from his body.

This time she's nuzzling his neck.

"Come home."

She feels his grip tighten on her waist like he just might...

"I'm sorry."

Stefan kisses the top of her head, lingering there, before turning and running. Leaving Caroline in the alley with a dead girl's body to dispose of and tears running down her cheeks.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **So I've decided to turn this into a series. To be clear, it definitely will not match where Show is going but will be canonical in terms of events these two have experienced and the characterizations. So think of this as the AU adventures of Steroline together, individually and definitely dealing with Stefan's blood addiction and ripper storyline. This series will jump from different points in each season and beyond. Enjoy :D

* * *

><p>Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. "Stefan." Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. "Stefan!" Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.<p>

"STEFAN!"

Silence.

She sighs in relief and goes back to her book. Tap.

Whirling around, she grabs his hand and glares. "Stop that!"

The smirk on his face infuriates her almost as much as his tapping fingers. "Caroline, I'm bored."

She huffs. "Well then read something. I'm reading something and I'm not bored. Maybe you could learn a thing or two."

He chuckles. "You've been on the same page for the past five minutes. You're just as bored as I am."

"No, I'm not."

His knowing look makes her smile (but only a little bit).

"We should do something."

Her smile drops. "Stefan, you know you can't…"

He holds a hand up, stalling the rest of her sentence. "I know but we could do something here. Other than reading of course."

Caroline looks down and says sheepishly, "I thought you would like reading. You said it's calming and I thought…" She trails off.

He tips her chin up with his finger. "Thank you."

"What?"

Stefan laughs softly at her wide, confused eyes. "Thank you for helping me and staying with me."

"But you're bored," she says with a pout.

"I'm only bored because you want to do Stefan things when I want to do Caroline things."

She smiles at that. "Caroline things?"

He smiles too. "Yeah, Caroline things."

"Okay then well…," she bounces off the couch and her sentence jerks to a halt around the same time as her body.

Caroline's hand is still around Stefan's. She blushes because she forgot and snatches her hand away like he's fire and she just burned herself.

"Right, hand. Can't forget about my hand. What would I do without that hand? It's my right hand and I write with it. So important hand."

Her blush reddens at Stefan's clear amusement. "It's not funny."

He smirks and stands up from the couch. "I didn't realize you'd grown so attached to me, Caroline."

She can't help herself, she busts out laughing. Embarrassment forgotten. "Stefan, that was just horrible," she wheezes out between laughs.

He shrugs. "I try. So on to Caroline things?"

"On to Caroline things," she says with a nod.

Five hours later, Elena finds them on Stefan's bed.

They're asleep, surrounded by junk food and blankets. The end credits from what sounds like a terrifically bad 80's movie coming from the speakers of Stefan's laptop.

Caroline is using Stefan's back as a pillow and he's lying on a giant pillow mountain. There's a smile on his face.

Elena eases her way out the room and nearly yells when she backs into something hard. Whirling around, she comes face to face with Damon. His eyes are dancing with amusement (as per usual).

He looks over her shoulder and smiles. His gaze softens.

Damon closes the door and leads Elena down the hall.

"I told you Vampire Barbie would be able to help him."

She sighs. "I know but I'm his girlfriend. I should be the one helping him with this and I can't because he won't let me."

"Elena, you can't always be the one to kiss his boo boos and make it all better."

She shoots him a withering glance.

Damon puts his hands up in a placating gesture.

"Hey, hey now. Don't think about staking me just because you know I'm right. Let Caroline handle this. When he's ready to come to you, he will."

Elena huffs out, "Fine," and crosses her arms. "But in the mean time I want some of that famous Salvatore tortellini. I'm starving."

* * *

><p><strong>Feedback is awesome as well as the people who give it.<strong>


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